MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The Biden administration’s 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans is being revoked by President Donald Trump.
This change could affect up to 600,000 individuals, with many now at risk of deportation.
TPS for Venezuelans is set to expire in April and September, depending on their enrollment period.
Willy Allen, an immigration attorney in South Florida, reassured Venezuelans with TPS on Wednesday, saying, “So every Venezuelan that has TPS is good until April of this year or September of this year, so no need to panic.”
Allen added that many Venezuelans have already applied for asylum, which will provide protection even after TPS ends. However, those who have lost their asylum cases will remain vulnerable.
Local activist Juan Correa Villalonga, who once faced deportation himself, shared his concerns about the impact on the Venezuelan community.
“I fear the same type of fear and the same type of panic and anxiety that most people in my community are feeling today,” he said.
Correa Villalonga said his organization, Amavex, plans to file a lawsuit to reinstate the TPS extension, challenging the change of circumstance and legal interpretation.
In response, South Florida’s Republican congressional delegation emphasized the importance of ousting President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, with Representative Maria Elvia Salazar calling it “a simple solution to the Venezuelan migration crisis.”
The legal battle continues as TPS for Venezuelans hangs in the balance.